Researchers have identified a small group of dopamine neurons in the striatum that play a crucial role in balancing brain functions, including reward, cognition, and movement. This discovery could lead to new treatments for psychiatric and neurological disorders such as schizophrenia, addiction, and Parkinson’s disease.
The team used innovative genetic tools to target these dopamine receptors, which comprise just five percent of the dopamine neurons in the striatum. They found that this group of neurons has unique cellular characteristics in response to dopamine and is essential for balancing forebrain functioning.
Without these neurons, brain systems under dopamine control would become overactive and uncontrollable. The discovery opens the door to new treatments targeting this specific dopamine pathway.
The research was supported by grants from the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) and the Graham Boeckh Foundation. The study’s senior author is Bruno Giros, a professor in McGill University’s department of psychiatry and a researcher at the Douglas Hospital Research Institute.
Contact: Katherine Gombay – McGill University
Source: https://neurosciencenews.com/dopamine-brain-behavior-function-27588/